School Budget FAQ

Due to a combination of economic factors and increasing demand for
services, the FY2015 Budget is shaping up to be very challenging. I
know many residents have concerns about the School Budget and I
thought it would be helpful to provide answers to some frequently
asked questions about the County and Schools respective budgets.

My colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and I have always
considered our public school system our highest priority.
Historically, over 52% of the County’s General Fund is transferred
to Fairfax County Public Schools each year - more than four times
as much as we spend on the next largest service category.

I am concerned about some of the rhetoric I am hearing because we
need both county and school services to maintain quality of life in
Fairfax County. The County side of the budget includes over $70
million for services which directly support the school system, such
as Head Start, School Health Nurses, School Resource Officers,
Crossing Guard, field maintenance and a variety of after school and
recreation programs.

Moreover, County government provides many of the services which
establish the conditions for a successful school system. Public
safety services protect all residents from danger, County human
service programs provide families with basic needs, mental health
and substance abuse and our park and library systems provide
enrichment and recreation opportunities.

I am working with my colleagues and with our counterparts on the
School Board to find ways to continue the excellence of our public
school system.

1. When will the decisions on the School Budget be made?

The Board will formally ‘mark-up” or make changes to the
Advertised Budget on April 22 at 10 AM. The Board of Supervisors
will be adopting a budget, including a school transfer, on April
29. Both of these meetings will be televised and live streamed on
Channel
16.

The County Executive presented his
Advertised Budget proposal on February 25. The Advertised
Budget is a draft budget for discussion with the community and
County Executive Long’s proposal includes over $1.9 billion for
Fairfax County Public Schools, an increase of over $39 million from
FY2014.

In response to the request from the School Board and comments from
the community, the Board of Supervisors advertised a tax rate of
$1.105 on March 4th, an increase of two cents from the
FY2014 Adopted Budget rate. By advertising a rate, the Board
established the maximum rate which could be adopted into the budget
in April. Changing the real estate tax rate by one penny increases
County revenue by $21.9 million.

Advertising a higher rate creates flexibility rather than cutting
off further debate and discussion about funding for services,
including our schools. At this point in the process, the Board can
adopt a lower rate than $1.105 per $100 of assessed value and as
Chairman, it is my intention to seek ways to adopt a budget that
does not require a tax rate increase of two cents. When we voted to
advertise the tax rate, my colleagues and I also asked the County
Executive to prepare a list of possible savings or reductions on
the County side of the Budget as alternatives to increasing the
rate when we adopt a budget.

4. Is the Board of Supervisors reducing funding to Fairfax
County Public Schools?

No. At the direction of the Board of Supervisors, the County
Executive proposed a budget which would increase the school
transfer by two percent (approximately $39 million).

Despite lingering economic challenges from the Great Recession,
sequestration and the federal government shutdown, the Board of
Supervisors has continued to increase the School Transfer in recent
years. Over the past five years, the Board has increased the School
Transfer by more than $90 million. During the same period, County
services and programs have been reduced by $170 million.

5. Can the Board of Supervisors enact a Meals Tax to generate
additional revenue for Fairfax County Public Schools?

Under Virginia law, the Board of Supervisors does not have the
authority to enact a Meals Tax. A referendum approved by a majority
of county voters is required. The County did put a meals tax to
referendum in 1992 but it was not successful. The Fairfax County
Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes a meals tax and has vowed to
come out strongly against it if it were put on the ballot again.
The County’s Department of Management and Budget recently provided
a
report to the School Board and the Board of Supervisors on the
history and legal requirements of the meals tax.

Several of my colleagues raised this issue again during our
discussion of the Advertised Tax Rate and we will likely revisit
the possibility of a meals tax referendum in the coming months.

6. Are there opportunities to identify efficiencies and savings
for Fairfax County Public Schools by engaging an independent
auditor?

I support the creation of an independent auditor position which
reports directly to the School Board. The Board of Supervisors
recommended the School Board hire an independent auditor when we
adopted our FY2013 and FY2014 Budgets.

The Board of Supervisors established an Auditor to the Board in
1998. This small office works independently from the County
Executive and his fiscal staff. Our Auditor has identified millions
of dollars in efficiencies and reductions and I feel that the
School Board would find this opportunity similarly beneficial.

7. Are there alternative reductions which the Board of
Supervisors can make to the school budget other than increasing
student-teacher ratios?

Per the Constitution of Virginia, the School Board has authority
over how the budget for the school system is spent and which
programs and positions are funded. The Board of Supervisors does
not have ‘line-item’ authority over items in the Fairfax County
Public Schools Budget.

Increasing student-teach ratio, class sizes or eliminating teacher
positions would not be my choice for reductions.

8. Are there other alternative ways of funding our school
system?

While Fairfax County Public Schools receives nearly 70% of its
operating budget from local tax dollars transferred by the Board of
Supervisors, our schools also receive funding from the state and
federal government. Last year, the Commonwealth provided over 15%
of the School’s budget.

The General Assembly is currently debating the biannual state
budget and we estimate that our state legislators may provide an
additional $27 million to $32 million to the school system this
year above the funds anticipated in the School Board’s Advertised
Budget. It’s not too late to contact
your state representatives to encourage them to return more of
the revenue raised in Northern Virginia to our local schools.